Many people don’t want to remove trees from their gardens because they are beautiful and provide a habitat for other species. But sometimes the time comes when the inevitable must happen. A professional will need to come over, cut it down, chop it up, and remove it.
But when do you know it’s time to get rid of a tree? How can you make that tree care decision?
Let’s find out.
The tree looks dead or mostly dead
If the tree looks dead or mostly dead, then it’s usually a sign that it’s time for it to come down. For example, a deciduous tree doesn’t have any leaves or buds in the spring or summer, while evergreens have brittle brown needles and foliage year-round instead of bright green foliage.
Still not sure whether a tree is dead? You can scrape a small area of the bark on twigs or branches. If the tree is dead, it will usually appear brown underneath, not green and moist. Provided it is still green and moist, then it may be that the tree has a disease and it can still be cured. Although you’ll need to get professional advice on this.
Structural damage and decay
Unsplash – CC0 License Photo by Abdul Zreika on Unsplash
Structural damage and decay on a tree is usually an indication of rot. This is where another species has penetrated the trunk or parts of the branches and hollowed them out. If more than a third of the interior of a tree’s trunk has been affected by rot, then it will sound hollow when you tap it. You may also see vertical cracks or seams down the bark or deep splits that look like wounds that never heal.
Unfortunately, severe trunk damage in this way often prevents trees from recovering completely. Even if you get rid of the rot and patch them up, their lifespan is often limited. This is especially true if they have cavities or cankers combined with soft, crumbly wood. Trees can ultimately lose their structure and integrity over time, which is what causes them to die.
The best-case scenario in this situation is that an arborist can remove the damaged sections and then the rest of the tree can heal; however, sometimes the whole tree will need to be removed.
Leaning roots
If you notice that your tree has leaning roots or they appear to spring out of the ground at an unusual angle, it could mean that you have an issue to do with soil erosion or root failure. This can happen when the roots of the tree don’t grow deep enough or when the soil becomes too sparse to hold the tree in place, especially during storms.
When you see heavy lifting or exposed roots around the base of the tree, or the tree is leaning after a rain storm, it may need to be propped up. In some cases, the tree can’t be recovered so it will have to be removed.
Top Photo by martin lea on Unsplash
